This is a titillating combination of remote (don’t know the person) and in-person (you can see them
right there across the room. Something that’s impossible to recreate with Tender, etc.
There are two fatal flaws to the system that’s described in the article and the more recent examples mentioned the comments, though: (1) first call takes all, you wouldn’t know how many people would be interested in you; and (2) denial of date, where your first caller can keep you on the call indefinitely, ruining your chances with others.
And what if you receive no calls in a reasonable amount of time, e.g., 10 minutes? In a modern implementation one of these call-less people can be chosen at random and displayed on a big screen, to increase their chances.
I would totally go to a club like this, both the 20s Charleston version or a 80s version.